“Certainly.”
“The queen wishes for the necklace.”
“You think so?”
“I am sure of it.”
“Then why did she not buy it?”
“Because she had already refused the king, and she thought it would look capricious to buy it now.”
“But the king wished her to have it.”
“Yes, but he thanked her for refusing; therefore I think she wishes to have it without seeming to buy it.”
“Well, you are wrong, sir.”
“I am sorry for it, monseigneur. It would have been our only excuse for breaking our word to the Portuguese ambassador.”